Rainbow Six Siege Gets Its National Stage at Esports Nations Cup 2026

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) dropped some massive news today: Rainbow Six Siege is officially joining the inaugural Esports Nations Cup 2026 lineup. It's the 16th and latest title confirmed for the inaugural tournament, and it means 24 national teams will battle it out in Riyadh, from November 2 through 29, for something much bigger than trophies: national pride.

More Than Just Another Event

For the first time, Rainbow Six Siege players won't be competing under their org banners. They'll be wearing their country's colors, representing their nation on one of the biggest stages in esports. The Rainbow Six Siege tournament runs from November 18-22, 2026, and it's happening right in the middle of what's already shaping up to be a packed year for R6 esports.

This isn't just another tournament getting tacked onto the calendar. Ubisoft has been working to create a seamless competitive year for Rainbow Six Siege, with everything from the Challenger Series in February to the Six Invitational feeding into one connected ecosystem. Now, ENC 2026 slots right into that vision as another major milestone where the best players get to prove themselves.

How the Competition Works

The format keeps things straightforward but intense. Twenty-four national teams will kick things off in a round-robin group stage with four groups of six teams each. Every match in the groups is a best-of-one, so there's no room for slow starts or second chances at this stage.

Then it gets serious. Sixteen teams advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket. Playoff matches go best-of-three until the grand final, which cranks it up to a best-of-five. It's a setup designed to reward consistency early and clutch performances when everything's on the line.

Getting to Riyadh

Not everyone gets a free pass to the main event. The 24 spots at ENC 2026 break down into three paths:

• 12 teams earn direct invites based on the Siege National Team Ranking
• 10 teams qualify through regional online qualifiers
• 2 teams come from wildcard slots

The direct invites are determined by the Siege National Team Ranking, which factors in official Six Invitational points and Esports World Cup 2025 results. Points come from official Rainbow Six competition, including Regional Leagues, Majors, and the Six Invitational.

Here's the catch: the national ranking adds up the points of the top five players on each submitted national roster. If your nation's best have been grinding at the highest level, you're in good shape. The ranking cutoff date is May 17, so teams have until then to stack up points.

For those who don't make the direct invite cut, regional qualifiers offer another shot. Running May 29-31, these double-elimination brackets are spread across five regions, with each one sending two teams to Riyadh:

• North America (2 slots)
• South America (2 slots)
• Europe (2 slots)
• Middle East + North Africa (2 slots)
• Asia (2 slots)

Finally, two wildcard slots round out the field, giving nations on the bubble one last path to compete.

Part of Something Bigger

Rainbow Six Siege joins an already stacked ENC 2026 lineup that includes Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and 13 other titles. The entire event runs from November 2-29 in Riyadh, with the EWCF backing it with a $45 million commitment across prize pools, incentives, and development funds.

For Rainbow Six players and fans, this is huge. It's a chance to see dream rosters that would never happen in regular competition, with the best players from each nation teaming up to fight for something that hits different than any org trophy ever could.

More details about ENC 2026 are rolling out in the coming weeks.

You can stay updated at esportsnationscup.com and follow ENC on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and follow the Esports World Cup Foundation on LinkedIn.

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Featured Image Credit: Esports World Cup Foundation